22 Rocket
by Joe DUDE
Summary: Another collection of stories
1. It's A Wonderful Lie

**Here's the second installment of my collection of stories (much like "Blue 32").**

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**It's A Wonderful Lie**  
_Matt/Julie, Post-Season 2, PG, 538 words, Title from **House, M.D.**_

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_Have yourself a merry little Christmas._

Matt's not a big fan of Christmas – not anymore anyway. He hates the commercials they show on TV, with everyone all together and happy, giving out presents while the snow falls outside. It couldn't be further from reality. A reality where Matt can hardly afford presents and only has Grandma to celebrate with – he's given up on believing his dad would come home, and his mom is so much in her own world she'll probably forget to send a card.

He remembers how different Christmas was last year, when he felt on top of the world – being a State champion, being with Julie, feeling like he was important to more than just Grandma. It was the best time of his life. And now all of that was gone.

Losing State this year was no one's fault, but Matt hated himself for it (the more people began blaming him, the more he believed them). And Julie, well, Matt hasn't looked her in the face in months. Doesn't really want to either – he loves hates her too much.

But he walks to the Taylor house on Christmas Eve, just like Grandma asked, to give Gracie the present Grandma brought for her. Maybe if he's lucky Julie won't answer the door, or even better, won't be home at all. Matt knows he's got shitty luck when Julie does, in fact, answer the door.

"Uh, hey!" she says, all surprised and happy, with that cute smile of hers. He wants to scream at her to stop being so _Julie_ – it'll be easier to hate her that way.

But he doesn't say any of that, instead just holds out the wrapped gift box in front of him.

"My Grandma. It's for Gracie."

Julie laughs and takes the box.

"That's so nice of her. Thank you."

There's a few seconds of awkward silence, neither knowing what to say to the other – if anything else should even be said.

"You wanna come inside for a little bit? Say hi to my mom and dad? They'll be happy to know you stopped by."

Matt says yes and walks inside, Julie holding onto his hand as they walk into the living room. It's like an electric shock – her hand against his. His whole body freezes up, and he wants to pull his hand away, remind her that they aren't together anymore, and that she has no business teasing him like this – with the hand holding, and being happy, and _everything_. But he doesn't. Isn't really sure he wants to either.

After he talks to Coach and Mrs. Coach for a few minutes, Matt heads for the door, so he can enjoy the rest of the night with Grandma. Julie follows him to say goodbye, and lightly kisses him on the cheek. He acts like he's surprised, but in reality he's not. He'd be lying to himself too if he tried admitting he didn't like being here with her, or that he didn't love her anymore.

"Merry Christmas, Matt," she says.

"Merry Christmas, Julie," he says back, with that stupid lop-sided smile he knows she loves so much, before turning around and walking home.

Maybe Christmas won't suck this year after all.


	2. The Self Destruct Button

**The Self-Destruct Button**  
_Matt, Landry, Leave No One Behind, PG, 798 words, Title from **Grey's Anatomy**_

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_If life's so hard already, why do we bring so much trouble on ourselves?__What's up with the need to hit the self-destruct button?__  
_

"Matt! Matt! Are you listening to me?"

Landry stood in Matt's kitchen as he grabbed a soda, noticing Matt drifting off while he sat on the couch in the living room. Landry could tell Matt hasn't been himself lately, but Matt would never admit it.

"Yeah, I hear you."

"So you think it's a good idea or not?" Landry asked as he sat down next to him.

"It's fine."

Landry sighed.

"You didn't hear one word I said did you?"

Matt didn't response. Sometimes it was his way of saying no (or yes). Sometimes it was better not to say anything.

"Are you alright? You've been very… out of it, as of late."

"I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all."

Tired? It was more than tired, and Landry knew it.

"You're not still upset that what's her name left are you?"

"No! I already told you I'm fine," Matt shouted out. He wasn't going to talk about this. Not now. He didn't care what Landry thought.

Matt turned his attention towards the TV, and didn't say another word until Landry left. Maybe he was just in a bad mood, Landry thought. It happens to everyone, every now and then. It'll pass.

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After a few days it seemed like something much worse than a bad mood was going on. As Landry would soon find out, Matt not only skipped school and practice, but he also showed up drunk to practice one afternoon, and cursed out his art teacher. None of it made any sense. Whoever this kid was, he wasn't Matt. Not one bit.

The only problem was Landry had no idea what to say to him. He knew one way or another Matt was going to become defensive, tell him nothing was wrong, and to mind his own business.

"Don't you have some girl to impress?" Landry pictured Matt saying. And yes, Landry was busy trying to impress Jean, and there was Tyra too, but none of that was as important as this.

So Landry tried to bring it up during lunch on Thursday afternoon. Grill him while he's regretting getting drunk and being hung over in the first place. Of course, it goes horribly wrong, with Matt getting up and walking away. Landry's pissed, but maybe it was just bad timing. Doesn't mean it was wrong for him to try. Or that it was right for Matt to walk off the way he did.

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Landry saw Matt as his locker the next morning. He looked like he hasn't slept in weeks, just completely worn out, physically and emotionally. And maybe he was. Landry didn't know, but he did hear something along the lines of Matt going with Tim to the Landing Strip, and that was the final straw.

Landry walked up to Matt and stood next to him.

"Hey Landry," Matt said to him. Landry didn't respond for a few seconds; too busy thinking of what to say. As if the whole thing with Jean and Tyra wasn't bad enough, Matt had to make it worse. And it wouldn't be fair for him to get the brunt of his frustration.

"I don't know what to say to you about what you've been dealing with lately, because I don't know what's going on in that head of yours. But I do know that this isn't you. You don't skip school, and go to practice drunk, and whatever else you and Tim have been doing. That's not the Matt Saracen I know. And I just want to say that I don't like it. I want my best friend back. And if I have to become permanently attached to your hip to make then happen, then that's what I'll do. And that's all I'm going to say because I'm going to be late for class, so if you want to say anything else, I'll be around."

Landry began walking away before Matt stopped him.

"Landry, wait. You're right. I haven't been myself lately. And I guess that's my own fault. But thanks – thanks for that. I don't know about that hip attachment though. That might be a little uncomfortable."

"I didn't mean it literally."

"I'm sure you didn't."

Matt closed his locker and began walking down the hallway with Landry. Everything was hard to digest, between last night and now, but if Landry was going to be by his side, then it would alright in the end.

"Don't walk so fast, I got a bum knee."

Matt stopped so Landry could catch up, laughing at his injured friend.

"So what did you do to yourself again?"

"I rather not talk about that right now."


	3. Unlike A Virgin

**Unlike A Virgin**  
_Julie, Post-Season 1, Hard R, 368 words, Title from **Entourage**_

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Julie was home alone that afternoon – mom was at some Lamaze class while dad was home for the week. Everyone else was busy, leaving her with nothing to do. So, like the good daughter that she is, Julie grabbed her basket of laundry and headed down the hall to the washing machine, noticing the machine was already on when she got there – mom must have put some in before she left – spinning around and around, making that ever annoying loud noise. It was almost finished, so Julie grabbed the laundry detergent that was sitting on the shelf above the machine, feeling her body jolt just a bit as she leaned in, the shaking of the machine touching her down there.

Her mind was going crazy, realizing what just happened. _No, no, no,_ she told herself. She couldn't do this. It sounded _too dirty_. And she didn't even want to think about what would happen if her parents caught her in the act.

But her body was wired, and well, she was _horny as hell_. And all she could think about was Matt as she pressed her body against the shaking machine. About how she would run to her bedroom window as he snuck inside, threw her on her bed, and pressed his hips down against hers while he kissed her all over her body. His two fingers would slide in her slowly followed by a feeling that was a lot stronger and as she pictured it all her eyes closed and her head cocked to the side. It only got better from there as she let the pictures in her head transfer through her body like a slow wave, feeling every piece of it.

Her breathing was coming fast; her whole body heating up. This feeling – like she was floating on air – she didn't want it to stop. She stayed that way for a few more seconds as her whole body continued to shake, until the machine finally turned off.

She began laughing as she threw her hair back, heading for the kitchen so she could let the cold air from the freezer cool her off.

She was going to have to do her own laundry more often.


End file.
